Former Irvine Valley baseball player Tyler Wagner had a great senior season at Georgetown College. Wagner along with former IVC players Ryan Gaynor and Zack Stack led the Tigers to another fine season as the squad finished with a 45-15 record.
The three were featured on www.ivclasers.com this past week about their accomplishments in 2019.
Wagner earned a further honor last week.
Georgetown College baseball experienced a first last week when the ABCA-Rawlings NAIA Gold Glove team was announced.
Wagner had the best fielding percentage of any third baseman in the NAIA this past season, becoming the first GC player to win the national honor.
"I'm just so proud of Tyler and his accomplishments," said Georgetown coach Micah Baumfeld on the Georgetown website. "Just some back ground, he never played third base in his life. It was the spot we needed him and he stepped up to get it done.
"To have just three errors – two of which came in the final three weeks of the season – at a new position is phenomenal. He committed to doing what was best for the team and turned it into a Gold Glove season. Not to mention he's the first ever Tiger to do so. I just couldn't be more proud at this moment. True testament to his character and abilities as a baseball player."
Wagner spent much of his junior season playing first base, but made the transition to third to help the team out wherever he was needed. He posted a .976 fielding percentage with just three errors in 47 games played – 36 starts.
The Tigers posted 45 wins this past season, tying the 2014 team with the most wins in a single season. GC's defense played a big role in its success as opponents managed 186 runs, just more than a three runs a game average.
Georgetown has had 11 Mid-South Conference Gold Glove honorees. Jason Frilling earned it as catcher in 2007. MSC did not hand out this honor again until 2011. GC has had 10 since then including three this past season – Wagner, Kyle Fieger (pitcher) and Gabriel Figueroa (shortstop). Wagner was the first GC third baseman to pick up the award on the conference level.
Two just finished IVC sophomores are headed to Georgetown for next season – infielder David Rojas and pitcher Keenan Cisneros. Releases will be posted on them later this week on the IVC website.
